Chapter 146
A big event was happening in Rongcheng this summer: a famous actor was bringing his son to film a family-friendly reality show.
Xing Nuo was at home, working on his summer homework, while Shen Baizhou, sprawled on a chair next to him, his legs crossed, his head tilted back, looked like a beached fish.
Xing Nuo, ever thoughtful, said:
“Big Brother, if you tired, go to bedroom…sleep.”
Shen Baizhou sat up abruptly, took a deep breath, and turned the air conditioning down a couple of degrees.
“I’m not tired. Teacher said…parents have to help with homework.”
The teacher had indeed said that, but she meant supervising, not staring at the child for hours.
Xing Nuo shook his head and sighed, then, feeling the cool air from the AC, his little topknot bobbing, he smiled.
After an hour of studying, Shen Baizhou, restless, couldn’t take it anymore.
He grabbed Xing Nuo’s arm and pulled him away from his desk.
“Come on! Let’s play with blocks!”
Xing Nuo, following his brother to the living room, heard a knock on the door.
“Hello, is anyone home?”
Xing Nuo’s head snapped around, and he put his hands on his hips, glaring at his brother.
“Big Brother, you ordew takeout again?!”
He frowned, lecturing his brother.
“Daddy said…takeout not healthy. Last time…you ordew lots of f-wied chicken…then tummy ache.”
Shen Baizhou, always ready with a retort, said:
“That wasn’t the chicken’s fault! Father made me try his cooking! That’s why my tummy hurt!”
What could possibly be wrong with delicious, crispy fried chicken?
It was Shen Wen’s cooking that was the problem!
Not only did it taste terrible, but it was also slightly poisonous, not enough to kill you, but enough to make you miserable.
Xing Nuo, also wary of his dad’s cooking, but still maintaining his stern demeanor, huffed and went to open the door.
“Too much f-wied chicken…bad for you.”
And Shen Baizhou could eat a whole bucket by himself!
Of course, he would get a stomachache!
He opened the door and saw a camera lens pointed at him.
Startled, he took a couple of steps back, looking at the strangers warily.
“Who you?”
The cameraman and the assistant director exchanged glances, thinking, Jackpot!
They had randomly chosen a family, and the child was this cute?
Xing Nuo, his small frame, his soft cheeks, his delicate features, his big, bright eyes, and his funny little topknot, looked adorable on camera.
Not only the film crew, but even the famous actor, the star of the show, was surprised.
A flicker of complex emotions crossed his eyes, then he smiled and crouched down, speaking to Xing Nuo in a friendly tone.
“Hello there, little one. Are your parents home? We’re filming a reality show. Can you call them for us?”
Just then, Shen Baizhou, yawning, walked over, his hand in his pocket, his demeanor lazy.
“Where’s the takeout? Haven’t brought it in yet?”
Xing Nuo shook his head, looked up at his brother, and pointed at the man.
“Big Brother, Uncle said…they filming show…need call g-wown-ups.”
Shen Baizhou hummed, walked to the door, and looked at the camera lens, his monolid lifting slightly.
“We’re not interested in being on your show.”
The viewers in the live stream were ecstatic.
[OMG, they’re both so handsome!]
[Is this really a random family? They’re too good-looking to be real!]
[I thought the little brother was adorable, but now I want to marry the older brother!]
[The little brother is so cute! And that light golden hair! So pretty!]
[The older brother has silver streaks in his hair! So cool!]
A small screen displayed the live comments.
The actor, seeing the comments comparing Xing Nuo to his own son, his smile faltering, glared at his less-than-adorable child and stood up.
“Since they’re not interested, let’s find another family. We should respect their privacy.”
Shen Baizhou, having pulled Xing Nuo behind him, nodded dismissively.
“Fine. I’m closing the door now.”
Xing Nuo had already run back inside, not wanting to be filmed.
But the viewers in the live stream protested.
[No! Don’t go! They’re so good-looking!]
[That cool older brother! We want to see more of him!]
[Stop it! The actor is right. They’re ordinary people. They have the right to refuse.]
The assistant director, seeing the rising viewership, hesitated, reluctant to leave.
Viewers loved attractive people, and good-looking people were more likely to become popular, attracting more viewers.
The actor, seeing comments comparing Xing Nuo to his son, not wanting to give a random stranger this much attention, said:
“Director, let’s go. We’re wasting time.”
The assistant director was still hesitant, but Shen Baizhou, not wanting to listen to them anymore, closed the door.
The film crew, seeing this, could only leave.
Afraid of encountering another family with ridiculously good-looking members, the actor, after asking his assistant to make some inquiries, chose Grandma Li’s apartment in the next building.
Grandma Li lived with her son and daughter-in-law. They were usually out during the day, and she, with her warm and welcoming personality, readily agreed to be filmed.
She prepared a meal, smiling at the camera.
“Let me show you my cooking skills!”
As she cooked, she couldn’t help but say:
“Why didn’t you film the family next door? The Shen family? They’re so good-looking! They should be on TV! Our complex has handsome people too!”
The actor’s heart sank, his face stiffening, but he still had to follow the assistant director’s prompting and ask:
“Is it the little boy with curly, golden hair?”
Grandma Li’s eyes lit up. She placed the dishes on the table and said excitedly:
“Yes! He’s so adorable! I’ve never seen such a beautiful child in all my years!”
The actor’s face darkened even more, and he glared at his son, who was stuffing his face with food.
“Eat slowly! You’ll choke!”
He had brought his son on this show to pave the way for his future acting career.
Who would have thought they would encounter such a strong competitor, a random child, no less!
And he was so popular with the viewers, they were still talking about him in the live stream!
Meanwhile, Xing Nuo was also having dinner.
His dad and eldest brother weren’t home, but a private chef had been called, and there was no takeout for Shen Baizhou.
Xing Nuo ate half a bowl of rice, then, his tummy full, started sipping his water.
“Full,” he said, smiling.
Shen Baizhou poked his tummy and clicked his tongue.
“Always full from drinking water. Never eat much.”
Xing Nuo huffed, ignoring him, and went to answer a call on his smartwatch.
“Hello?”
“Xing Nuo! It’s An Zimuo! You’re on TV!”
Xing Nuo looked at the TV, which was playing Super Cat, and said, puzzled:
“No. I not in TV.”
An Zimuo, watching the live stream of the reality show, said excitedly:
“Yes, you are! A variety show! You and your brother! Everyone says you’re so handsome!”
He was more excited than if he were on TV himself, his dark face flushed, pacing back and forth.
“Xing Nuo, you’ll be a big star! You’ll need bodyguards!”
Xing Nuo, not interested in being a star, said softly:
“I no be famous. People came to film today…but left after two minutes.”
An Zimuo, having learned what happened, his excitement fading, sighed.
“You should be a star, Xing Nuo! You’re so handsome! The other kids on the show…not as handsome as you!”
“But being a star…not just ’bout looks. Need sing, dance…I can’t.”
Xing Nuo had only signed up for one extracurricular activity this summer: martial arts.
He wanted to become stronger, to protect his family.
An Zimuo sighed and hung up. Xing Nuo put down his watch and turned to see Shen Baizhou secretly opening a takeout container.
Xing Nuo: ???
“Big Brother! You ordew takeout again?!”
Shen Baizhou, caught red-handed, just shrugged and took a large bite of a fried chicken leg.
“It’s yummy. And Shen Yan gave me back some of my gems. Big Brother has money now. I’ll buy you ice cream this afternoon.”
Xing Nuo, his face serious, decided to tell on him.
Shen Yan, hearing Xing Nuo’s report over the phone, immediately froze Shen Baizhou’s bank account and warned him:
“No more greasy or cold food for Xing Nuo!”
Shen Baizhou sighed, finished his chicken leg, and slumped onto the sofa, dejected.
Xing Nuo, seeing his brother’s unhappiness, didn’t ask him to come to the playground, but went with An Zimuo instead.
Xing Nuo, wearing his blue cover-all, which looked like a dress, his small shovel in hand, ran towards the sandbox.
An Zimuo, who was planning their sandcastle project, looked up and saw Xing Nuo standing there, motionless.
“Xing Nuo? What’s wrong?”
Xing Nuo shook his head, looking at the camera crew and the small crowd of onlookers by the sandbox, and took a couple of steps back.
“They filming show. Zimuo, we play somewhere else.”
An Zimuo, although having boasted about being on TV, was now suddenly shy.
“Let’s go to the next complex! They have a new slide!”
Xing Nuo nodded, and just as they were about to leave, the assistant director, whom they had met briefly before, called out to him:
“Hey, little boy! Wait!”
Xing Nuo, polite as always, stopped and looked up.
“What’s wrong, Uncle?”
The assistant director, sweating profusely in the summer heat, wiped his forehead with a tissue and said:
“Little boy, are you interested in being on our show?”
The actor, who had been playing with his son nearby, his attention always on Xing Nuo, hearing this, his face stiffened.
No way! he thought, gritting his teeth, looking at Xing Nuo’s fair, almost translucent, skin glowing in the sunlight. I can’t let this child be on the show!
